A health administrator for Oregon has announced she is considering making mask rules permanent.
As reported by the Associated Press, Occupational Safety and Health Department administrator Michael Wood is floating a proposal that would keep masking rules until “no longer necessary to address the effects of the pandemic in the workplace.”
The current masking rules for Oregon are expected to expire on May 4th. To date, over a dozen other states have removed mask mandates.
Conservative lawmakers blasted the Democratic Governor’s administration for even considering this proposal. State Senator Kim Thatcher said, “When will masks be unnecessary? What scientific studies do these mandates rely on, particularly now that the vaccine is days away from being available to everyone? Businesses have had to play ‘mask cop’ for the better part of a year now. They deserve some certainty on when they will no longer be threatened with fines.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden mocked those who support lifting mask mandates. When specifically questioned about Texas’ decision to rescind mask mandates, Joe called it “Neanderthal thinking.”
Biden said, “The last thing, the last thing we need is Neanderthal thinking that in meantime everything’s fine, take off your mask. Forget it. It’s still matters. … And it’s critical, critical, critical, critical that they follow the science. Wash your hands, hot water, do it frequently. Wear a mask and stay socially distance. And I know you all know that, I wish the heck some of our elected officials knew it.”
Since removing the mask mandate, Texas has seen a relatively stable level of COVID cases.
